By “screen baseball” it is meant a baseball game that is progressed similarly to an actual baseball game using a screen onto which an image is projected and a pitching machine located on the rear surface of the screen. A user views the projected image while participating in the game.
The screen baseball system, according to the related art, will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
A space of the screen baseball system may be divided into a safety area 100, a game area 200, and a pitching area 300.
The safety area 100 is an area that is distinguished from the game area 200 by a safety net 120 and protected by the safety net 120. A door 125 for coming into or out from the game area 200 is provided in the safety net 120.
A shooting signal device 210, an image unit 220, a sensor 230, and a screen 250, are located in the game area 200.
The shooting signal device 210 is configured to apply a baseball shooting signal to a control unit (not illustrated) when triggered by the user. The shooting signal device 210 may include a pedal. When the user steps on the shooting signal device 210, a baseball is shot.
The image unit 220 receives image information from the control unit, and projects an image onto the screen 250.
The sensor 230 senses the location and the speed of the baseball within the game area 200.
A screen hole 251 is located at the center of the screen 250. The game is played by moving the baseball from a pitching machine 390, through the screen hole 251, at a high speed, toward the user within the game area 200. The user may then attempt to bat the baseball.
The pitching area 300 is distinguished from the game area 200 by the screen 250. The pitching machine 390 is located within the pitching area 300.
While the screen baseball game is being played, a baseball may not be shot, by the pitching machine 390, when the user activates the shooting signal device 210, for various reasons, such as failure or jamming of the pitching machine 390, or running out of baseballs. In this case, because The user may think that no additional baseballs will be shot. The user may begin to move freely in the game area 200. If a baseball is abruptly shot from the pitching machine 390, a safety incident may occur.
A method for preventing a safety incident in a screen baseball system according to the related art-will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
In order to begin a screen baseball game, a game start signal is applied to the control unit (S310). The user activates the shooting signal device 210, which sends a baseball shooting signal to the control unit (S320). The control unit operates the pitching machine 390 such that the pitching machine 390 shoots a baseball (S330) into the game area 200. The sensor 230 senses whether the pitching machine 390 has shot the baseball. If the baseball has not been shot, the image unit 220 projects a warning image onto the screen 250 (S340).
An example of the projected warning image is illustrated in FIG. 3. The warning notifies the user of the possibility that a baseball will be shot into the game area 200 and encourages caution. Optionally, a warning sound or the like may be output from a separate speaker (not illustrated).
Thus, in the related art, only the warning image for prevention of a safety accident is projected onto the screen 250. The user may neglect or not recognize the warning image and move freely in the game area 200, allowing a safety incident to occur.
The conventional art related thereto will be described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,413,521 discloses a pitching machine including a shooting prevention screen opened using a pulley system only when a baseball is shot. The system does not prevent a baseball from being untimely shot.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,747,259 discloses a safety steel net that may be accurately coupled to a baseball shooting hole of a pitching machine. This net is configured to protect the pitching machine from a batted baseball. The net is not configured to protect a user from a baseball.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,512 discloses a screen baseball apparatus including a T-shaped screen hole. The system is not configured to protect a user from an untimely shot baseball.